Friday, September 11, 2009

Here is a ballot designation Cupertino Councilmember Gilbert Wong probably won't put next to his name next time he runs: Slumlord. Wong refused to meet with property owners in San Jose’s Hoffman Via Monte neighborhood for year. When property owner Nubia Ramirez and neighbors threatened with a letter to the Cupertino City Clerk Wong found time to talk. Post-meeting, Ramirez says Wong asked her not to dish details to the press. Oops.

Retired Santa Clara County executive Pete Kutras sends a smack down to San Jose State University Professor Terry Christensen and lobbyist Pete Carrillo. Kutras is truly pissed off at the idea he, and his County Executive colleagues, are unknown and need a Mayor of Silicon Valley to provide accountability. As rebuttal to being unknown Kutras rattles off the names of County Exec’s crying “I never knew we were unknown.” Is this the most obscure fight you have ever heard of? It is almost the beginning of a joke: A retired County Executive, a lobbyist, and a professor walk into a bar...

Santa Clara County Sheriffs shot a man in East San Jose. A slight problem: they were in the City of San Jose. The man who was shot was not identified and was taken to the hospital.

Los Gatos developers are hoping offers of new (soccer) turf and LED’s for trees will help sway minds for storage building on University Ave. Planning Commissioner Marcia Jensen said she wonders how a soccer field offset “the traffic impact…” right before she voted for the project.

The new look at Palo Alto’s City website is courtesy of a citizen committee pissed off at the (nearly) quarter million face-lifts the site received 2 years ago. (Former) Committee member David Voelker ditched the community effort complaining discussions on the basics could have been done quickly if the pros were left alone. (We just like using the phrase "face-lift" and "Palo Alto" in the same story...)

Mountain View City Councilmembers prefer wildflowers. Looking at ways to build the Stevens Creek Trail residents and City staff proposed picnic tables, restoration of the cherry orchard, a community farm, and trees. Led by Councilmember Ronit Bryant, the Council settled on flowers, if there was money for it. Councilmember Mike Kasperzak said of the farm idea “I don’t think we want people bringing their hoes and rakes on the trail.”